Chapter 12

**MARCUS'S POV**

I walk out into the garden and I sit there and endure the scent of flowers. My mother is silent though I can feel her brimming with things she wants to say.

"There will be war soon," she finally says after we sat there for what seems to me like an eternity.

"It is funny how everyone is obsessed with it. We have been prosperous. We have grown and we have expanded. Of what use is war?"

"A reminder to our enemies that we are not weak. Peace is bought for by war and time had come for the price to be paid again."

"I don't like war. The last one got my father crippled, Injured your wolf so you can never turn again and broke me in places I can't reach to put pieces back. You want me to put our people through that again? My duty as Alpha is to lead and protect them, not take them to war."

"Yet you would start one within our family."

"What do you mean, mother?" I ask. My mother looks at me and I can see the tears.

"Have you even gone to see him? After what you did? Have you gone to look at your brother?" She asks me.

"Elliott disobeyed an or…"

"He is your brother!" She screams at me and I nod slowly, accepting her anger.

"He is my brother, true. The people he killed did not deserve to die. Were they not people's brothers as well? Sons? Friends? Fathers perhaps? Elliott has his life and his arm will grow. I was merciful to him."

"He was fighting for his pack and you maimed him for it."

"He was fighting for himself. He wants to fight. He wants to show everyone how strong he is. He wants to dominate the Red moon and even he doesn't see how foolish that is. I took no joy from hurting my brother but every action bad a consequence," I say.

My mother holds my gaze for a while then she looks away. I know she will not speak to me again so I stand but she calls me.

"Marcus?"

"Yes, mother."

"I have been hearing disturbing things. You have been growing closer to that strange girl."

"That is my private business," I say to her, growing annoyed.

"It is not. You are the alpha of the Crescent blade. What you do affects all of us. I don't like this. She is from a pack you don't know and she was born from a human man. I don't think you should trust her."

There are many words in my mouth. There are many things I can say but what would be the point? She would not understand, she would not even be the least bit interested. I nod at her and walk away.

**ELIZABETH'S POV**

Why did I not tell him I was going away? I could have texted him at least. My heart is beating faster. I am not even there yet but it feels like I can already feel his eyes on me, already hear his raspy voice.

I get to the gate of the building and a young woman walks to the car. She looks at me and recognition comes into her eyes. She smirks.

"You."

"Me," I reply. She steps back.

"The bitch is back again," she says.

"Who?"one of them asks

"Fleur's little sister."

"Ah! Eric will want to see this one. Let her go in."

The gates open and I drive in. My fear increases the closer I get and it gets to a point where I feel like my head will leap from my mouth. I finally stop and get out of the car.

I am taken to his living room and that is when I see Eric. He is lean, average height and bearded, looking more like a wolf than a wolf itself. He wears a chain with a pendant of a full moon and his claws are always bared, his eyes always red, his anger ever close.

"Well well well. What do we have here? Elizabeth," he says. I hate the way his mouth forms the words, the way his raspy voice says it but I bow, showing my submission. He nods and I straighten.

"I did not think I was going to have to look on your face again. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

I start to speak, willing myself to be courageous, trying to put away my fear of the man standing in front of me.

"I have been away from the pack for years and I have never been called back, not once. I have been away at work. I have never been contacted and I wonder why that is."

"What are you saying, Beth? You are of no use to the pack. We don't need you. We don't give a shit about what you are up to. Why would we call you?" Eric asks. I inhale deeply then I speak again.

"In that case, I have come to ask that I am cut off from the pack and left to live free and lone," I say to Eric who narrows his eyes at me.

"What did you say?" He asks again. My fear starts to get the better of me.

"I want to…be a lone wolf," I say.

My thirst knows no bounds. I try to sniff around with my nose but the only thing I can perceive is rot and rust. I can also perceive old sweat, my old sweat. I thought of many things and, truth be told, I also considered this as well but I did not actually think he would do it. I lean against the wall and wonder if he will come for me. What reason does he have to come? I left without telling him and now I am trapped.

I hear the clang of metal and the ring of the chains then the doors open and light enters my eye for the first time in what has probably been three days. My kind can stay very long without eating but that doesn't make it comfortable. Especially for of one my rank.

Eric is standing there, his silhouette blocking out the light. He walks in and stands just a few feet away from me.

"You are a stupid girl. Do you know that? You're just as stupid as your mother. Why are the beautiful ones always so stupid?" He asks.

"You are a devil. You were the reason she died," I snap at him and he nods slowly.